LOCALadk Magazine

28 Fall 2019 LOCALadk Magazine LOCALadk It's a drear y afternoon in late fall as cold rain drizzles down, releasing all the remaining leaves from their delicate attach- ment to branches. Inside the kitchen of the Green Room at the Lake Placid Center for the Arts, the air is warm and cozy as the oven preheats. One by one, children file in with their parents. Some greet me in a familiar embrace or a boisterous hello. Others cling to their parents or siblings shyly because it's their first time here and they may not yet know me or their peers. Regardless of our initial encounter, all of us are here for the same reason, and this brings us together in a unified way. It's the first Kids in the Kitchen cooking class of the school year. By the end of the series, the children will have let down their guard and made friends with me and each other, while learning how to prepare healthy, delicious, and seasonally relevant foods in a fun and relaxed environment. I've been teaching both private and public cooking classes for over 15 years, and it never ceases to amaze me how trans- formative these food preparation experiences are for children of all ages. Sometimes there is resistance at first. "I hate beans" or "That looks like poop" are common comments that get expressed at the beginning of certain classes. Yet, after actively participating in the 1- to 2-hour classes, the vast majority will taste the food and love it, wanting seconds and thirds until the dishes are scraped clean. Connecting with our food is a foundational part of a healthy diet. We have just as much, if not more, of an emotional at- tachment to food as we do a physical one. It is scientifically proven that a positive connection with the food we consume has a more beneficial effect on our bodies than a negative one. Loving the taste and texture of a roasted sweet potato is more nourishing for us than forcing it down out of obligation. My goal with offering Kids in the Kitchen cooking classes throughout the North Countr y is to empower children to develop healthy eating habits at a young age. This is accomplished by teaching them that eating healthy is easy, fun, and delicious. As a holistic nutritionist, I weave nutrition education into all my classes and always use locally sourced ingredients. This allows for group discussions and teaching moments to arise organically. Here are two of the students' consistently favorite fall recipes. I encourage you to make this at home with your children or grandchildren, and allow them to take the lead on following the directions, measuring out ingredients, tasting the finished product, and of course, cleaning up after ward. Winter Squash Squares By Wynde Kate Reese Photos by Jessica Chevalier

• Cover